You might think driving at night isn’t all that different than driving during the day. After all, isn’t it easier to see without the glare of the sun? The truth is that nearly 40% of all traffic accidents happen at night. Moreover, accidents at night are much deadlier than daytime accidents.
To raise awareness about this issue, we’ve put together these three tips for driving at night.
1. Slow Down
Often, driving at night means you’re limited to seeing what’s in range of your headlights. The problem is that most headlights only illuminate 400ft in front of the vehicle, but a vehicle moving at 60 mph requires about 500ft of space to come to a stop.
The faster you’re going, the less chance you have to avoid a potential disaster. When you can’t be sure what’s around the corner, it’s better to take things slow.
2. Look Away
When you see headlights coming toward you, especially on a two-lane road, look away. Looking directly into the light can make your eyes readjust. Your pupils contract, making it difficult to see in the dark.
While your eyes can readjust to light in a second, they need about 10-15 minutes to readjust to the dark. Reduced night vision makes you less likely to notice obstacles, pedestrians, animals, or even other drivers coming from your peripherals.
3. Clean Your Windshield
Many Californians experience hard water stains on their windshield. While these stains make it difficult to see while driving toward the sun, they can become a nightmare in the dark.
Every oncoming headlight creates a risk. When light hits the stains, it creates a disco-ball effect inside the car, making it incredibly difficult to see. Even worse is when headlights bounce off other reflective surfaces, such as puddles and metal; the blinding lights seem to come from every direction.
The best way to prevent this? Get the lime remover and start scrubbing!
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a late-night accident, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Oxnard auto injury attorney from The Schurmer Firm to evaluate your claim, please send us an email or call (805) 470-1628.